Altered Perception
by Owl Emporium
Summary: His power-hungry eyes that made me shiver, his once handsome and beautiful face was contorted into such a bestial status it was no longer recognizable. When had he become this horrible, blood-thirsty monster? Tom Riddle/OC.


He was staring at me in such a cold and heartless way, it made my heart freeze.

This wasn't the man I fell in love with; this was a complete stranger. His power-hungry eyes that made me shiver, his once handsome and beautiful face was contorted into such a bestial status it was no longer recognizable. When had this happened? When had he become this horrible, blood-thirsty monster?

I should have known everything was going to end up like this from the start. After all, I knew him like no one else did.

All those secret meetings with all those bloody Slytherins. I _knew_ that they weren't studying. My god, how stupid was I? But I only did this for one reason, and one reason only: because I loved him.

I loved that son-of-a-bitch with all my heart. And seemingly, he didn't care at all for me. He just used me; made me believe that he loved me. Made me believe that he was capable of love, of happiness.

I've gone mad. Utterly and completely mad. And it was all because of him.

"Please Tom, don't do it!" I pleaded. "Please, don't."

He growled. "Shut up Danielle!" he sneered. "Because youwere _actually_ useful in a way, you'll be last. Don't worry my love," he said in a sickeningly sweet voice. "It won't hurt."

I stared at him with all the hatred I could muster. When had he become so cruel? When had his eyes become so vacant and so void of emotion?

I spat at his face. "You bastard!"

His eyes gleamed with rage, but he did nothing.

I saw him do the last thing I'd ever think he would do. In front of me, he murdered the only family he had left.

I had been positive of knowing everything about him. I could see every little movement before it came. But this, I didn't see coming.

This revelation of who he really was threw me into such a turmoil, into such an emotional upheaval, I was having trouble breathing. What had happened for him to become this? He had seemed so innocent. But I was wrong. Oh, so very painfully wrong.

I had been wrong about everything. I had been wrong about his love for me, about his true intentions, about him. If he, the person I had completely trusted my life with, wasn't who I thought he was, was everybody else who I thought they were?

Was I who I thought I was? Was it really true what he had said, that everybody had the power to do whatever?

Was it truly possible for him to be this person, and be the other? Was it possible for me to love and hate him at the same time?

"I hate you Tom Riddle," I sneered at him, breaking the bounds that were restraining me, which surprised me. He was so powerful that I could have tried to break free for _years_ and I wouldn't have been able to.

"You made me believe you actually loved me. You made me believe that you could actuallylove. You made me believe that you were another person! You made me believe you were this charming, honest man that I could spend my entire life with. You made me love you! I can't believe I let myself love such a monster!"

He looked into my eyes and I could have sworn I saw something flash in them, but in a millisecond, it was gone.

I had seen it once before, but no, it couldn't be. He had no soul; he was unable to feel anything but hatred, right? But I knew him so well, that I couldn't ignore it. Was it possible that he could still feel? That maybe, I could help him? Could I maybe help him repent? Change his mind? Make him forget?

No. Even thought it pained me to say it, I knew it was the truth.

"Tom," I said softly. He turned to me, his eyes with an emotion that was so alien to this alter-ego.

I wish I could help him, but I couldn't. There are some things that can't be undone.

"You're too far gone."

"Am I?" He sneered hatefully, but his eyes told a different story. They were pleading with me, begging me to help.

At this moment in time, it was not Voldemort (as he liked to call himself now) that I was talking to. This was Tom Riddle.

Tom Riddle, the love of my life. And even though I knew all the horrible things he had done, I couldn't help but still love him. He was my only and true love. Damn it, why did it have to be him?

I nodded, and something seemed to snap in him. He pointed his wand to me, and I looked into his eyes. His eyes that seemed to be in between red and gray; his eyes that let me see the battle inside.

"Avada Kedavra!"

I didn't think of my parents, my friends, or my family. All I thought of was the look in his eyes, and the emotion in them.

It was pain.

Tom Riddle altered my perception of him so many times, I didn't know what to think anymore.

Was it possible that he could feel anything but hatred? Maybe for a moment in time, had he felt something pure? Something like love? Was it possible for him to have loved me? Was it possible that when he said those three words to me, that I saw true honesty inside him?

Maybe I could have helped him. Maybe I could have changed his mind. Maybe what I had told him was wrong; I've been wrong before. He was living proof of that.

But that, no one will ever know.

* * *

Author's Note: Yeah, I know, odd for me to write and maybe OC for Voldemort, but help me here! So, tell me what you think? Was it good? Or was it crappy? Review please!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter! I would think that was obvious.


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